Ryan Getzlaf’s return sparks Ducks to a Game 5 rout

Anaheim Ducks' Rickard Rakell (67), of Sweden, and Emerson Etem(65) celebrate Rakell's goal in front of Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen(32) and Jordie Benn (24) in the first period of Game 5 of the first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series on Friday, April 25, 2014, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Dallas Stars' Antoine Roussel(21), of France, intimidates Anaheim Ducks' Emerson Etem(65) during the second period of Game 5 of the first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series on Friday, April 25, 2014, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Team captain Ryan Getzlaf returned to the Ducks’ lineup for the pivotal Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars on Friday night at the Honda Center. So did right wing Teemu Selanne. So did goaltender Frederik Andersen. So did defenseman Luca Sbisa.

Sparked by Getzlaf’s goal and two assists, the Ducks had a far, far different look as they took a resounding 6-2 victory from the Stars and regained control of the acrimonious best-of-7 series. The Ducks lead 3-2 and can eliminate the Stars with a victory Sunday in Game 6 in Dallas.

Getzlaf couldn’t play in the Ducks’ loss in Game 4 because of an unspecified upper-body injury. Selanne didn’t play because coach Bruce Boudreau scratched him. Andersen played, but was pulled in favor of Jonas Hiller in the third period. Sbisa didn’t play in any of the first four games.

Getzlaf declined to talk about his injury before the game. Later, after he passed Teemu Selanne to become the Ducks’ all-time leader in playoff points with 66, Getzlaf said he was cleared to play right before joining his teammates for their pregame warmup.

“He’s the biggest part of our team,” Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano said of Getzlaf. “He’s the catalyst. When he’s in the lineup, our team has another dimension. He did a great job tonight. I thought he and (Corey) Perry played a great game, and I thought a lot of guys followed him.”

Getzlaf’s impact upon his return was immediate, both good and bad. He assisted on Nick Bonino’s power-play goal that gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead only 5 minutes, 32 seconds into Game 5. His atrocious turnover then led to a shorthanded goal for the Stars’ Jamie Benn at 10:00.

Sbisa was credited with an assist on Rickard Rakell’s first NHL goal, a power-play strike at 10:26 that gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead. Getzlaf then atoned for his earlier gaffe by setting up Mathieu Perreault for a power-play goal that extended the Ducks’ lead to 3-1 at 1:05 of the second period.

The Stars pulled within 3-2 on Shawn Horcoff’s goal at 8:19 of the second. Jakob Silfverberg, Getzlaf and Perry scored in the early minutes of the third to turn a tight game into a runaway, chasing Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen. Tim Thomas replaced him.

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“We just calmed down … and came out firing in the third,” Getzlaf said.

The Ducks had an early opportunity to seize control of the game after Dallas troublemaker Ryan Garbutt speared Perry in the groin just as Perry was exiting the players’ bench and Garbutt was coming off the ice. Perry returned to the ice after a short visit to the dressing room.

Garbutt was given a five-minute spearing major and a game misconduct for his latest misdeed. Earlier this season, he was suspended for delivering an illegal shot that concussed Dustin Penner. He also rolled into Stephane Robidas in Game 3, breaking his leg.

Robidas declined to blame Garbutt, however. Garbutt could not be excused for spearing an unsuspecting Perry at 9:11 of the opening period and the play is likely to draw a very long look from the NHL’s department of player safety. Garbutt could be fined or suspended.

Perry hasn’t exactly been an angel during the series. He was penalized for slashing Benn in the groin early in the Ducks’ victory in Game 2. He also fought with Dallas’ Antoine Roussel near the end of the Game 4, when the Ducks fell with a thud 4-2.